Collaborating To Create Next-Gen Leaders

 

WeSchool students work on projects that will impact society at the Digital Impact Square, in Nashik

In an effort to groom their students better and facilitate their transformation into future leaders, top B-schools often collaborate with other reputed organizations. Prin. L.N. Welingkar Institute of Management Research and Development (WeSchool) prides itself on maintaining a good industry-connect. Last year, Welingkar was awarded the prestigious 'AICTE - CII Best Industry linked Management Institute'. Talking about pooling resources with industry, Dr. Uday Salunkhe, Group Director, Welingkar Institute says, "WeSchool has focused on an outcome driven approach in its strategy for industry-institute interaction. Only when there is an impact of this interface, will it sustain, and make a difference.” Internships are one example of such effective collaboration. WeSchool recently partnered with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) for an internship programme, over the summer. Under this programme, students got the opportunity to work on live projects of socio-economic importance at Digital Impact Square, a TCS innovation lab. The lab, at Nashik, is home to 40 innovators from all over India who have come together to solve pressing social problems. Welingkarites interning at the TCS innovation lab are participating in various non-profit government projects with diverse and interesting topics. For instance, Sagar Jadhav, a WeSchool student, is working on creating a transparent supply chain from farmer to market; Vighnesh Dalvi, a Healthcare Management student at WeSchool, is involved with a project to ensure zero loss of life due to lack of availability of blood; Aishwarya Nileshwar, a Business Design student at WeSchool, is working on real-time crime detection & prevention. Pavan Shetty, who is working on a live project that deals with the reduction of non-revenue water, says, “It is more like having a start-up, without actually having to invest any money in it. The only investment here is our sincerity and hard work.” The start-up culture promoted and the guidance provided by the TCS innovation lab helps students to master skills of empathy and business. “Our creativity gets boosted here under the company of designers, innovators & mentors. It’s indeed a great opportunity to be a part of social innovation and getting to innovate for billions of people,” informs Asmita, whose team at TCS is working on ensuring equitable distribution of water. “Since it’s an open innovation platform, it has also helped us to empathize with society with respect to problems faced by it. It has evoked a sense of responsibility in each of us in some way,” notes WeSchool student Rujuta Raut, who has been analysing the Nashik Transport ecosystem during her internship with TCS. The students believe that the Global Citizen Leadership (GCL) programme by Welingkar has prepared them well for their journey to make a difference. "Handling a start-up, feels like an extension of a GCL project,” remarks Poulami who started the company ‘Matritva’, which aims to prevent maternal mortality. Shraddha M Bagwe, a Food and Agriculture team intern at Digital Impact Square adds, “We are familiar with the concepts used and this has surely given us an edge.“ GCL is a transformational programme that equips students with real-world skills and tools of leadership and innovation and inspires them to make a difference in society. The programme is designed by WeSchool in academic collaboration with Centre for Creative Leadership (CCL), a global provider of executive education. “The education provided at WeSchool is completely holistic in nature. The process that we followed in Global Citizen Leadership program, helped us to imbibe the knowledge and process of Agile Methodology and Design Thinking, which have been very helpful in our work here; enabling us to stick to the timelines and submit our deliverables,” shares Pragathi, whose start-up, Kavach, is working towards improving Institutional Delivery & Immunization in the Health domain. Yogita, whose project aims at training women from self-help groups, in important skills to ensure sustainability, says, “Thanks to WeSchool for putting us in the right mind set through activities like GCL. Not so long ago, the only thing I wanted was to be different and stand-out. Now, I don’t want to just stand-out… I also want to make a difference.” WeSchool knows that industry and academia collaboration can make next generation leaders out of Welingkarites by building on the strong foundation which it provides. “A good collaborative programme can build value by broadening the students’ perspectives and empowering them to make a change in the society,” says Dr. Uday Salunkhe.